Self-cooled impact spark-gap



H. E. HALLBORG.

SELF COOLED IMPACTYSPARK GAP.

APPUcArIoN FILED v:uu/zw. 191e.

1,330,182. y Patented Feb.10,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WIT/VESSES MllfENT/ N n V Arm/Mfrs H. E. HALLBoRe. SELF COOLED IMPACT SPARK GAP.

Patented Feb. 10,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 APPLICAI'IQN FILED JULYZU, i916.

WITNESES @we M Arm/Mfrs HENRY E. HALLE-ORG, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

SELF-COOLED IMPACT SPARK-GAP.

Speecaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10., 1920.

Application led July 20. 1916. 'Serial No. 110,290.

T0 all who/11 t 'muy (ffmc/fm1:

Be it known that l, HENRY E. HALLBORG, a citizen of the United States. anda resident of Norfolk.y in the countv of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Self-Cooled Impact Spark-Gaps; and it consists in the combinations7 constructions, and arrangements herein describedand claimed.,

An object of my invention is to provide a quenched .spark gap, whichv highly eliicient, light in Weight, and relatively cheap to manufacture.

A. further object of my invention to provide a device ofthe type desiril'ied, Which is especially reliable in its workings due to the absence of fan or blower protective devices, auxiliary leads, switches, etc., and to the'fuitl'ier fact that it is self-coin tained and has nothing infian'n'nable-in its construction.

A further object of my invention is to -provide `a device ivhieh is simple and may be easily operated.

Further objects and advantages will apA pear in the following specification. and the novel features of the invention ivill be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanyirrel drawings'forming' a part of this application: and in which;

' Figure 1 is a side view of the device. een

tain partsbeing` shownin section;

Fig'. Q a perspective view of one of the radiating units;

Fig. 3 is a .face view showing an insulating gasket as applied to a unit:

Fig. 4e is a pei-:pc :ti\'e vienv of another of the radiating units;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged seetiiiin of a portion of the devicey shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of the device.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a suitable base 1 to which is lsecured end supports 2. Extending between the end supports is a pair of mieaita rods 3, while at the top ofthe uprigrlits is a frame il. Referringnow partici'ilarly 'to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the device is made np ofa series of units` these units consisting of a circular disk 5. preferably copper. having a comparatively deep recess 6.on one face and arelatively shallow recess 7 on the opposite face. The face having the recess 7 is further recessed to provide room for a chemically pure silver disk 8, Whose edges `mits of rapid as' are slight] v machined away, as shown at 8". This silver disk S is soldered to the body portion 5 with a semi-hard solder made by increasing' the lead Content .of ordinary s0lder to raise the melting pointof the same.

The object of this procedure is to avoid' heating; the silver during manufacturex` to a temperature at which it will absorb impurities. as would be the case With Ysilver solder or hard solder. A further reason is to insure a melting temperature of the solder vell above that. resulting due to the limiting` b v the spark in actual operation. Half of the units have segmental rims 9. The rnitsl are assembled in pairs back to back, one Awithout the rim and onel with the rim. as' shown 'in the drawing. When assembled the openings formed by the registering recesses G allow free air circulation lieti-.veen each pair of sparkingr surfaces. and make the internal walls of the air chamber thus formed effective in 'radiatingl the heat due to the spark.

Each unit has tivo radiating vanos 10. Obviously any number of these may be provided as long as the total radiating surface provided enough not to Adissipate more than :"1 watts 'per square inch. The object of keeping' the outside diameter of the units small is to more nearly equalize the temperthe. comparatively small diameter of the between the.`

units. The annular space, i units is made shallow in order to inclose a minimum amount of air in the sparking chamber. This construction permits of the use of a mica gasket 11, or other mechanically strong, but ony semi-airtight gasket, Without impairingz' the tone due to the air leakage. The, air in the chamber is consumed more rapidly than it can leak in sufiicientquantities to impair the tone. Thel gaskets 11 are retainer in position and alirn-ui'ient by the pins 12 spaced l()O apart. This per- 'mbling and disassembling of the units Witt-naif, disturbing the indi vidual gael Pt alincnienn The micarta rods il support the, plates and furnish temporary alinen'ient. The pla-tes vvhen' assembled are. clamped by means of a clamping; screw 14C between the heads 15. This affords a construction which holds the plates securely, and yet which per1 faces and has a critical value foreach.

mits the device to be readily taken apart.A

be Ina-de closer, with a. corresponding in crease in energy inputl to the antenna. rlhe spark gap spacing is so chosen that the re sistance of the. gap is at its maximum, or near this maximum. This maximum value of spark resistance has been tound to vary with the diameters of the sparking' 'suri rEhe Spacing is-so selected that. increase or decrease of sparking distance causes a drop in gap resistance, other conditions being the same.

i claim:

l. A self cooled spark gap comprising a series olf units, each oit said units having relatively large registering recesses arranged to form an air chamber between contiguous units, said air chamber having communi cation with the outer atmosphere, and relatively small recesses adapted to form annular air chambers between contiguous units, opposed sparking suril'aces carried by the contiguous units and nonnir tight aaskets i. a t. :a

disposed between the si'iarking sunt;V :es and arranged to p thro A said annular an' space7 whereby the air space between the sparking surfaces is rendered se1ni-air tight.

f2. A sell" cooled spark gap comprising a series ci units, eac-h of said units having relatively large registering recesses arranged to torni an a'r chamber between contiguous units 'said air chamber haring communication with the outer atinosphere7 relatively small recesses adapted `to torni annular air chambers between contiguous units, opposed sparking surfac fed bjr' the contiguous units, non-air gaskets disposed between the sparking surfaces and arranged.

maaien to pass through said annular air space, whereby the air space between the sparking surfaces is rendered semi-air tight, the space between the sparking surfaces being such that the resistance ol the gap is substantially at its maximum.

3. A self cooled spark gap comprising a series of units, said units being placed back to back i'n pairs, the backs of each of said units having relatively large registering recesses arranged to form an air chamber between the units, means for affording commu-- nicatlon between the an' chamber and the outer atmosphere, each unit having a centrally disposed sparking surface and having an annular recess contiguous to and concentric with said sparking surface, and a relatively thin non-air tight gasket tor spacing the sparking' surfaces of contiguous units apart, said gasket being arranged tol extend beyond the abutting edges of the contiguous units, and means for holding and centering said gasket.

4. A sell cooled spark gap comprising a series ot units. said units being placed back to bark in pairs, the backs of each of said units having relatively large registering recesses arranged to form an. air chamber between the units. means for affording communication between the air chamber and the outer atniosi'ihere, each unit having a cen-v trally disposed sparking surface and having an. annular recess contiguous to and concentric with. said sparking surface, a relatively thin non-air tight gasket for spacing the sparking surfaces of contiguous units apart, said gasket beingarranged to extend beyond the abutting' edges of the contiguous units, means for holdingand centering said gasket, said last named means comprising a series of pins carried by said units and arranged at 120 apart.

HENRY E. HALLBORG.. l"l'litnesses C. l). FREEMAN, GQ A. GORDON. 

